A Prospect of Heaven, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Of the bleſſedneſs of the Soul in general.
MUch more might have been ſpoken of the bleſſedneſs of the Soul in glory, when it is abſent from the Body; but becauſe theſe things belong as well to the Soul re-united to the Body, when it hath full poſſeſſion of ſalvation, I chuſe to treat of them under that conſideration.
1. This ſhall be the wonderful felicity of the Soul, in that it ſhall have a Body every way ſuitable to it ſelf, immortal, ſpiritual, incorruptible, glorious, as its habitation for a pure, immortal, glorious Spirit to dwell in; in this reſpect the glorified Souls now in Heaven (all the time of their ſeperation) do even vehemently deſire and wait for the redemption of their Bodies, who were their yoke-fellows in the day of their pilgrimage upon Earth. Though the Soul of a Believer reign with Angels, yet hath ſhe a paſſion for her Body; and all the good ſhe doth poſſeſs, cannot take her from the deſire and memory thereof; though ſhe hath made trial of its revolts, though this friendly Enemy hath oftentimes perſecuted her, and that ſhe hath deſired death to be freed from the tyranny thereof, yet doth ſhe languiſh as it were, and vehemently long after it. Though the Body be reduced to duſt, though it cauſe pity in its Enemies, and though it cauſe horror in thoſe to whom it was lovely, yet ſhe forbears not to deſire it, and to expect the reſurrection with a kind of impatience, that her Body may partake of the bliſs which ſhe enjoyeth. The Souls of the Saints departed this life do not account their glory, their bleſſedneſs compleat, till their Bodies be reunted; hence they do naturally deſire their reunion; and as they cry under the Altar, How long, Lord, how long will it be ere thou avenge our blood? ſo all the Souls of juſt men made perfect, with one voice cry out, How long, Lord, how long will it be ere thou redeem our Bodies, that we may be perfectly bleſſed in the full fruition of thy ſelf? Oh then how ſhall the glorified Soul rejoyce in its glorified Body, raiſed from among worms, duſt and rottenneſs, reſcued from its captivity, from under the power of death and corruption, and now again made one with the Soul, no longer to be a ſnare or burden to it, but a companion meet for it, taking in no object by the ſenſes that may in the leaſt degree endanger the polluting of the Soul, and having nothing in it that may ſtupifie the affections, or any way diſcompoſe the eternal reſt, diſturb the peace, eclipſe the joy of the Soul, interrupt its enjoyment of God, or any way diminiſh its compleat happineſs.
2. There ſhall be a perfect harmony between the Body with all its parts, and the Soul with all its powers; and both Soul and Body ſhall be fully conformed to Chriſt, and ſo ſhall moſt ſweetly comply each with other: and I conceive the very remembrance of that dulneſs, ſottiſhneſs, earthineſs, and droſſineſs, (which in the ſtate of mortality is in the Body) ſhall be matter of great joy to the Soul, now that it findeth ſuch a wonderful change in the Body transformed unto ſuch a glorious perfection; even as it is a great refreſhment to the mind of a man after a perfect cure to find the Body lightſome, full of ſpirits, and in perfect health after a lethargy, or ſome other dulling diſeaſe that hath debilitated nature, exhauſted the ſpirits, and indiſpoſed it for action.
Then ſhall the happineſs of man be perfect, when a glorified Soul ſhall be united to an immortal Body; and mutually communicating all their advantages, the Soul ſhall be happy in the felicity of the Body, and the Body happy in that of the Soul; all their differences ſhall then be compoſed in this general peace: the Soul ſhall then forget all the revolts of the Body, nor ſhall the Body any more complain of the ſeverities of the Soul; but both of them remembring only the good they have done each other, they ſhall reign in Heaven in a community of glory.